Hello and welcome back to the Stories Love Music blog.Over the last few months we have led our program for big and small groups in memory assistance facilities and with individuals in their private residence here in the New York area. So many great moments happen in the group work. There is often a shift, when it goes from a group of struggling individuals, to a group of individuals that energetically and musically come together with a sense of calm and joy. From that place, ideas and stories have the space to pop up and be shared. When I go into all my sessions with an open mind and heart, I will often be pleasantly surprised what comes up!For example, I have another story from a private client session. As we sang a song in Hebrew together, as we often do, he stopped suddenly with something to ask me. I said "You have something to ask me." He said " I was wondering if it's been difficult for you in this life because you are a woman." I said "Well at times yes, but as I grew up, I became self possessed and did not let that hold me back or limit me. Does that make sense?" He says "Well I don't know, because I'm a man. I do know that it's good that you come here and tell us these things."I say "Thank you for asking me that.". His caregiver had a look of surprise on her face as well.Take away: Let yourself be surprised by people, with the idea that you don't know everything they are thinking and feeling, as this does something to the energy around them.Thanks for reading!Ilyana

I hate it that women have to suffer just because of their genders. I do not understand why women are being treated less important just because they are not men. That is definitely absurd because gender has no relation in the capability of a person. We should erase this kind of thinking because it is incredibly offensive and it really does not make sense at all. We should instead treat both genders as equal as possible because women deserve to be respected the same way as people respect men.